New Delhi, Feb. 25 -- The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a Union government notification that exempted building and construction projects, including industrial sheds, schools, colleges, and hostels with a built-up area up to 150,000 square meters (approximately 1.6 million square feet), from mandatory environmental clearance (EC).

A bench headed by Justice Abhay S Oka on Monday issued the stay order in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Mumbai-based NGO Vanashakti.

The PIL challenged the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notification issued on January 29, arguing that it weakened the existing regulations for construction projects.

Prior to the notification, the Environment Impa...